Sorting of HAMR read/write heads based on reader and writer widths

1. A method, comprising: measuring, for each head in a collection of heat-assisted magnetic recording read/write heads, a reader width and a writer width; determine a predicted life for each head based on the respective reader width and writer width; based on the predicted life for each head, sort the collection into a first subset having greater than a first predicted life and a second subset having no greater than the first predicted life; in a first set of drives having no more than a first number of heads per drive, using heads from the first subset; and in a second set of drives having more heads per drive than the first number, using heads from the second subset.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predicted life for each head is based on a ratio of the respective reader width to the respective writer width, the first subset of the heads has a higher value of the ratio than the second subset of the heads.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining a first reader width range and a second reader width range of the read/write heads, first reader widths of the first reader width range being smaller than second reader widths of the second reader width range; and determining a first writer width range and a second writer width range of the read/write heads, first writer widths of the first writer width range being smaller than second writer widths of the second writer width range, the first subset of the heads being within the first reader width range and within the second writer width range, and the second subset of the heads within the second reader width range and within the first writer width range.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein, for an operational time period, the second set of drives uses each of its heads for a lower fraction of the operational time period than the first set of drives.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in a third set of drives having a number of heads per drive between that of the first and second set of drives, using a third subset of the heads having a middle value of the predicted life between that of the first and second subset.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring of the reader widths and the writer widths is performed on a spinstand.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring of the writer width comprises measuring a write-plus-erase width.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first predicted life is adjusted so that respective sizes of the first and second subsets correspond to a required number of the heads for the first and second sets of drives.

9. A method, comprising: measuring, for each head in a collection of heat-assisted magnetic recording read/write heads, a reader width and a writer width; determining a first reader width range and a second reader width range of the heads, first reader widths of the first reader width range being smaller than second reader widths of the second reader width range; determining a first writer width range and a second writer width range of the heads, first writer widths of the first writer width range being smaller than second writer widths of the second writer width range; sorting the heads into a first subset within the first reader width range and within the second writer width range, and a second subset within the second reader width range and within the first writer width range; using the first subset in a first set of drives having no more than a first number of heads per drive; and using the second subset in a second set of drives having more heads per drive than the first number.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second subset of heads has a lower predicted life than the first subset of heads.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein, for an operational time period, the second set of drives uses each of its heads for a lower fraction of the operational time period than the first set of drives.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising: sorting the write heads that do not fall into the first and second subsets into a third subset; and using the third subsets in a third set of drives that has a number of heads per drive between that of the first and second set of drives.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the measuring of the reader widths and the writer widths is performed on a spinstand.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein measuring of the writer width comprises measuring a write-plus-erase width.

15. A method, comprising: measuring, for each head in a collection of heat-assisted magnetic recording read/write heads, a ratio of reader width to a writer width; determining a first subset of the read/write heads having the ratio below a first value; determine a second subset of the read/write heads having the ratio greater than or equal to the first value; using the first subset in a first set of drives having no more than a first number of heads per drive; and using the second subset in a second set of drives having more heads per drive than the first number.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second subset of heads has a lower predicted life than the first subset of heads.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein, for an operational time period, the second set of drives uses each of its heads for a lower fraction of the operational time period than the first set of drives.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising: sorting the writer heads that do not fall into the first and second subsets into a third subset; and using the third subsets in a third set of drives that has a number of heads per drive between that of the first and second set of drives.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the measuring of the reader widths and the writer widths is performed on a spinstand.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein measuring of the writer width comprises measuring a write-plus-erase width.